7 stages of Alzheimer’s you need to know
Alzheimer’s disease is the gradual process of memory loss which can occur in the body during the old age. There is a rare chance of getting affected by this disease at an early age.
Thus, the youngsters have a pale chance of getting affected with this disease. As it follows a progressive way, it becomes difficult to detect the presence of this disease in its early stages.
Stages of Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the few diseases which are unpredictable. It gradually makes the condition of the patient worse by the day. It creates a bad impact on one’s memory and their problem-solving, thinking, and speaking capacity.
Given below are the explanations of the seven stages of this creepy disease:
No dementia
The first three stages are recognized as “no dementia” stage. This is because, in these three stages, the common symptoms and signs of this disease are not noticeable.
Stage 1: No impairment
In this stage, the person who is going to get affected with Alzheimer’s disease cannot feel any changes within themself. No signs of memory loss can be spotted too. Thus, this stage is known as “no cognitive decline.”
Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline
In the second stage, the affected person will start experiencing typical forgetfulness. As the forgetfulness is a very common thing, people often neglect this sign.
Stage 3: Mild cognitive decline
This stage is important both for the physician and the patient. In this stage, the patient will face the lack of concentration along with forgetfulness. This will be noticed by the family members. This is the stage where the patient should consult a doctor to get proper treatment.
Early-stage dementia
The next stage is classified “early-stage dementia” because the signs of early-stage dementia are now visible in the patient.
Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline
In this stage of Alzheimer’s disease, early-stage dementia can be noticed in the affected individual. Along with the increasing forgetfulness, the affected person will face difficulty in managing finances and solving problems.
Mid-stage dementia
Stage 5 and stage 6 are classified under this category.
Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline
The patient who is in stage 5 will seek assistance for preparing meals, dressing, and bathing. These will become severe along with time.
Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline
This stage is called “middle-stage dementia.” This stage of Alzheimer’s disease badly affects the memory and the patients can forget even the names of their closed ones. They are unable to even manage backward counting from 10.
Last-stage dementia
The 7th stage is the last and final stage of Alzheimer’s.
Stage 7: Very severe cognitive decline
It is also called “late dementia.” The condition of the patient worsens and they need help in basic daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting. Moreover, the patient will face difficulty in walking.
Therefore, it is clear that the first two stages of this disease are unpredictable. But, if one notices most symptoms from the other five stages, they should consult a physician as soon as possible.